Splitting newborn baby’s head: HC summons Comilla civil surgeon

The High Court today summoned the civil surgeon of Comilla, also director of Comilla Medical College Hospital, and five other doctors of the hospital to appear before it on April 4 in connection with the incident of splitting a newborn child’s head during Caesarean operation of its mother.

The other five physicians are Dr Karuna Rani Karmokar, Dr Nasrin Aktar Popi, Dr Janibul Hoque, Dr Dilruba Sharmin and Dr Ayesha Afroj.

The HC also issued a rule asking them to explain why stern action should not be taken against them for the incidents.

The bench of Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice AKM Zahirul Hoque came up with the order and rule on a suomoto (voluntary) move following reports on the incident in different newspapers including the daily Janakantha and AmaderSomoy.

According to the news reports, expecting Julekha Begum, 30, wife of Shafik Kazi from Jatrapur village in Muradnagar upazila of Comilla, was admitted to the Comilla Medical College Hospital with labour pain on March 17.

The doctors led by Dr Karuna Rani Karmokar, also head of the Gynae department of CMCH, conducted the scissoring operation of Julekha on March 18, the Janakantha report said, adding that the doctors cut the uterus of Julekha andthe head of the newborn baby during the operation.

The newborn baby’s body was dumped into the earth near the hospital through its security guard, according to the news report.

Today, the HC passed the order and issued the rule after four lawyers-- Advocate M Asaduzzaman, Barrister Farhana Islam Khan, Advocate Anisul Hasan and Advocate Shagufta Tabassum Ahmed -- on behalf Ain O Salish Kendra, a leading rights organisation, placed the newspaper reports before the court for necessary orders.

Advocate Asaduzzaman told The Daily Star that the doctors have committed serious negligence in treating the expecting mother, Julekha, and their negligence has caused the death of her newborn baby which a criminal offence under Section 304 of the Penal Code.